Along with the development of warp-wave weaving systems, the prior art has also developed apparatus for inserting weft threads into a plurality of warp sheds as they move in a direction parallel to the warp threads. For example, such prior art systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,742,058 (Gentilini), U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,071 (Mauri), and United Kingdom Patent No. 819,974 (Ripamonti). However, all of these prior art systems, and those similar to them, utilize needles, rapiers, or like members, of either the flexible or rigid type, which members remain attached or connected to the weaving machine during their traversal through the moving warp sheds to lay the weft thread. Therefore, it is necessary in such systems to retract the wef-laying member to the side of the machine from which the weft thread is supplied. Such an arrangement has the disadvantage of using one-half of the time interval that the weft-laying member is within the warp shed for the non-productive motion of withdrawal or retraction of the weft-laying member from the shed after laying of the weft thread.
This drawback was recognized in my above-identified copending application, and it discloses a method and apparatus for employing shuttles for simultaneously laying weft threads in a plurality of moving warp sheds, which overcomes this drawback. More particularly, the above-mentioned copending application discloses the use of shuttles for simultaneously laying more than one weft thread in a warp-wave weaving system, wherein the shuttles are fired from at least one side of the machine, through the moving warp sheds, and are stopped on the other side of the machine. The shuttles are unconnected to the machine during their traversal of the moving warp sheds, and it is therefore unnecessary to retract the shuttles through the moving sheds. In this manner, the shuttles disclosed in the above-mentioned copending application operate to lay weft in the moving sheds of a warp-wave weaving system during the entire time that the shuttles traverse the moving sheds.
However, it would be highly desirable to develop a system which employs a shuttle for carrying and laying weft thread in a warp-wave weaving system in the above-described manner, wherein the shuttle is smaller than and operates faster than the above-described shuttle. A system having a faster moving weft-laying shuttle would provide increased production, and its smaller size would allow smaller shed openings, thereby providing less strain on the warp threads.
Moreover, the prior art systems referred to above, which employ needles or rapiers for weft insertion in warp-wave weaving systems, typically draw the weft thread from a system of rotating weft supply spools. Such a method of weft supply has the disadvantage of requiring the weaving machine or loom to be stopped each time a weft supply spool must be replaced, and also requires complicated and costly mechanisms to rotate the weft supply spools and to properly tension the weft threads.
It would therefore also be highly desirable to provide a system for the insertion and laying of weft thread in a warp-wave weaving system, wherein the weft threads are supplied and drawn from stationary weft supply spools rather than the conventional rotating weft supply spools.
Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for laying weft threads in a warp-wave weaving system which overcomes one or more of the aforesaid problems. Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide an improved weft supply and insertion system for warp-wave weaving which utilizes a weft-laying shuttle which is smaller and faster than prior art weft insertion members employed in warp-wave weaving systems in order to provide increased production and to reduce the strain on warp threads by providing smaller shed openings.
It is a further object of the present inention to provide a system for supplying and laying weft threads in a warp-wave weaving system, wherein the weft threads are supplied and drawn from stationary weft supply spools.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved weft-laying system for warp-wave weaving, wherein the weft threads are accurately and continuously guided to move in a lateral direction in unison with the laterally-moving warp sheds during the transversal of the weft-laying shuttle through the moving warp shed.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a system for accurately and continuously controlling the position and tension of each of a plurality of weft threads in order to supply weft thread to a plurality of gripper shuttles which simultaneously draw a plurality of weft threads from a plurality of stationary weft supply spools.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a system for transferring a plurality of weft threads from a plurality of stationary weft supply spools to a plurality of weft-carrying shuttles.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a system for firing weft-carrying shuttles into moving warp sheds which move in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the weft-carrying shuttles are initially fired.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improves system for warp-wave weaving which achieves a great increase in the rate of fabric production without sacrificing versatility in the variety of fabrics which can be produced.